Wheel.



No. 644,968. 'Patented Mar. 6, |900. H. cnAwFonn a .1. M. coLLlNs.

WHEEL.

(Application led June 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

W9 nl N i the usual heating and cutting of the same.

Nitin HOLMAN CRAWFORD AND JAMES MJCOLLINS, OF MAYSVILLE,l KENTUCKY.

WHEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,968, dated March 6,1900.

Application filed June 26, 1899.

T0 all whom, t may concern;

Be it known that we, HoLMAN GRAwFoRD and JAMEs M. CoLLINs, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Maysville, in the county of Mason andState of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vheels,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved wheel, and has for one objecttoprovide a positivelyrigid structure between the felly and hub when theparts are locked together.

A further object is to provide a wheel structure whereby a tire can betightened without A further object is to provide a hub structure made intwo sections, the meeting faces of which are provided withspoke-interlock? ing means.

A further object is to provide means on the ends of the spokes wherebythe felly of the wheel can be adjusted at any particular loca-` tion.

Many other objects will be hereinafter referred to, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the draw-ings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is afront view of a portion' of our`i1nproved wheel. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on line 2 2, Fig. `1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of thehubsections- Fig. 4 is ay view of the hub.. Figs. 5 and 6 are detailviews.

The same numerals referto like part in all the figures of the drawings,wherein- 1 indicates the wheel as a whole; 2, the hub; 3, the spokes; 4,the felly, and 4 the tire.

The hub is made in two sections 5 and G, each having a centralperforation and a series of interlocking teeth 7. The teeth arepreferably tapering in plan View, fitting in similarshaped spaces 8,formed by the teeth on the adjacent hub-section. The outer end of eachtooth is undercut, as at 9. At the base of each of the spaces 8 isformed a seat 10, approximately square in cross-section, the inner Wallof which is undercut, as at 11. When the hub-sections are placedtogether on the box, the undercuts?) and l1 form a dovetail. pocket orseat 12 for the spokes The hub-sections are mounted on the usual box 13,which has a shoulder 14 and lugs 15, which latter are seated in thesection 6. The

seal No. 721,920. (no moda.)

outer end of the box is threaded and receives a clamping-nut 16 when thehub-sectionsare locked. v

Each of the spokes 3 has an inverted-V- shaped head 17, which isdesigned to be seated in the pocket 12 in the hub. The spokes preferablytaper and at their outer ends are provided with screwthreads 18. Athimble 19 is passed through the felly of the wheel and is received ontothe end of the spoke. That portion which passes through said felly issmooth on the outer side, however. Below this point it is slightlyreduced and externally threaded, as at 20, andbelow said threads it isformed with a square boss 21.

A clamp 22 clamps the inner and lower por@ tions of the felly and isretained on the spoke by a jam-nut 23.

The operation and advantages,it is thought, will be apparent from theforegoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

The hub-section 6 is rst placed on the box and the spokes preliminarilyplaced in the felly-sections and in seats in said section. Then thesection 5 is placed on the box, and the nut 16 clamps the two tightlytogether. The tire is new placed around the felly and the variousthimbles adjusted, after which the jam-nuts 23 are set, securely bindingthe tire to the felly, at the same time producing a wheel which Visabsolutely rigid in every part and yet each and every part being capableof adjustment independent of the other. The clamp 22 prevents the fellyfrom splitting. Moreover, it prevents the nut from defaoing the wood.

In the manufacture of our improved wheel we propose to make all theparts of metal and the felly of wood, making a more durable andpractical wheel than at present onv the market.

Should the tire become loose and require tightening, it only requiresthe various thimbles to be adjusted and the lock-nuts reset and the workis accomplished, requiring no skilled workman. XVe are 4also enabled toplace either a metal or rubber tire on the felly without requiring anystructural change.

The wheel is extremely simple in construction and durable in characterand one that can be packed and shipped in a comparatively-` resides inthe fact that by making the felly of Wood and the other parts 0f metalWe prevent the structure from rattling, which is the strongest presentobjection to a wheel having its parts made of metal.

What We claim isl. In a wheel, the combination with the hub made in twosections, means at the meeting ends of said sections for locking thespokes thereto, of headed spokes forming part of said locking means, ofa thimble on the end of each spoke, passing through the felly, and aclamp and nut for adjusting and holding the parts of the wheel in lixedrelation, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wheel the combination with a series of spokes, each providedwith a locking-head 'at its inner end, a thimble screwed on the outerend, which is seated in the felly of a wheel, a jam-nut working on theexternal screw-threads of the thimble, and a clamp interposed on saidthimble and between the felly and the jam-nut, substantially as setforth.

3. In a wheel, the combination with the felly thereof, a series ofthimbles seated in perforations in said felly, the thimble having aninterior screw-thread, the spokes having threaded ends, and screwed intothe thimble, the latter having a flanged head, .a reduced exteriorthreaded portion anda square boss below said threaded portion, a clampinterposed between the felly and a jam-nut, and

adapted to hug each side and the bottom of the felly, substantially asset forth.

4E. An interiorly-t-hreaded thirnble for securing metal spokes to afelly, consisting of a cylindrical body portion, reduced at the lowerend and eXteriorly screw-threaded, and a square boss formed below saidreduced threadv ed portion for applying a wrench or the like foradjustment, substantially as set forth.

5. In a Wheel the combination, with the felly, a spoke made of singlepieces having a threaded outer end, and a head at its inner end,approximately an inverted-V shape in side View, of a thimble seated inthe felly of y HOLMAN CRAXVFORD. JAMES M. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN GABBY, BEN WARDER.

